Transgression
by Adventurekid
Summary: I've done a terrible thing to you, my boy. And to you, too. I can't run from my sins any longer. This is my admission of guilt, my confession.
1. Prologue

I tore my thumb from my mouth, taking a piece of nail and some flesh along with it. I'd gone through this many times mentally. I'd explored every option, every given situation. Every possible consequence. Even the ones I was sure I couldn't live with. I'd weighed all the pros and cons. I was absolutely certain that this was the only way. So why did I feel so uneasy? I looked about my lab. My assistants were working diligently as usual, with the silence of the work atmosphere being broken periodically with some whispering here and a bit of coughing there. The gentle clinking of glass beakers harmonized with the workplace symphony and I found myself becoming surer of my decision. I stood up from my chair and beckoned to one of my interns.

"Sosuke". The freckled-faced teenager looked up from his laptop, promptly slammed it shut and hastily made his way over to my desk, almost knocking over a female assistant in the process.

"Sosuke!", she whined. "You're too clumsy!" That was the tag line of my lab. Sosuke was chronically accident-prone and many a glass beaker was destroyed because of this. I chuckled inwardly then addressed him.

"I'm heading to the Pokemon Center so I'll be a bit", I informed him. He nodded.

"Would you like to use the Dodrio or the Pidgeot?" He asked reaching into his pocket to retrieve the pokeballs containing the pokemon. After deliberating for a bit, I decided on the Dodrio. The Pidgeot would be faster, but I'd had a rather heavy breakfast that morning; air sickness wasn't in my to-do list today. I walked out the lab and tossed the pokeball into the air. A long legged bird materialized in the red light, its brown feathers messy and unkempt. Its three heads, each adorned with a long black feathered crest, and perched on long slender necks looked at me intently, waiting for its orders. Dodrios have always fascinated me since I first learned about them. Not only the fact that while two heads slept one would stay alert was intriguing; their expressions really impressed me. Each one was representative of the three basic emotions of humans: Anger, Sadness and Joy. Their offspring continued this physical trait without fail, flawlessly, the same heads would have the same expressions. Joy on the right, sadness on the left and anger in the middle. In all my years of research, I still hadn't figured out this enigma or how to alter it for that matter. I patted the towering bird on its angry head as I mounted it and waved at my intern who was now standing in the entrance doorway of the lab. The dodrio took off at my command, inviting a gust of wind to my face and leaving behind a trail of dust in its wake.

A rapid but bumpy ride took me to my destination, Viridian City. My pokemon trotted up to the Pokemon Center with my guidance and halted in front of it. I dismounted and instructed that it stay put until I came back out to which it responded with shrill, guttural cry. The Pokemon Center's doors opened with a soft whoosh welcoming me inside. I was grateful for the air conditioning; the outdoors in the Kanto region was a furnace around this time of the year. I wiped my forehead with the back of my sleeve and made my way to the counter. A pink haired woman stood behind it, her hair combed into two neat buns at the nape of her neck. Her eyes narrowed with her smile as she greeted me, and as I approached, I noticed she was wearing too much make up. My attention was automatically drawn to her lips which were a bold shade of red that would put any Krabby to shame.

"Good morning, Professor!", she chirped. "Welcome to our Pokemon Center! Would you like me to heal your pokemon back to perfect health?" I placed my hands on the counter, and leaned forward into her a little. She made a sideways glance but didn't retract, her wide eyes trained on mine.

"No," I said firmly. Her false customer-friendly smile that was tattooed onto her face evaporated, a solemn expression replacing it. Her voice became monotone and her demeanor, businesslike.

"Understood, sir. Your appointment will be booked immediately. If successful, you will receive a confirmation email within the next hour." I nodded politely.

"Thank you, my dear." I turned and walked briskly out the door. I came upon the sight of the Dodrio fighting amongst its heads. Normally, I'd be highly amused at this, stopping for a few moments to appreciate the silliness of the whole scenario. But I had too much to think about in the next few days, too many preparations to make, too many things to consider. I scolded it, bopped each of its heads and mounted. With a sharp kick to its side, we took off in the direction of Pallet Town. _Yes_ , I thought. _This is the only way._

Red awoke to warm sunlight filtering into his small room. He stared blankly at his blanket which bore a rectangle of light emanating from outside his window. Little specks of white dust danced in the rays of golden light; it was almost as though the light provided its very own platform for them to dance upon. He sighed contentedly, and buried himself into the soft confines of his bed. He was absolutely determined to sleep all day today. He would just relax. No running errands, no chores. He was going to be the best snorlax today. No, he was going to be the best slaking today.

He was going to be very late today.

He jumped out of bed, effectively wrapping the sheets between his legs and tripping over them. Undeterred, he stripped, flinging articles of clothing in multiple directions as he got into the shower. Five minutes later, he dried himself hurriedly and pulled on some clothes. His messy, brown hair, masterfully styled by a night of occasionally tossing in his sleep was successfully hidden (mostly) under his beloved red hat. His father had given it to him when he was two years old. Or so his mother told him. Red had very little memory of his father. He remembered that he had his shade of brown hair but that was about it. His mother's features always darkened at any mention of him. Red once made the mistake of pressing his mother for more information on his elusive parent. Instead of his mother sighing exasperatedly and relenting, her habit when dealing with her sometimes extremely insistent son, she'd thrown the coffee mug she'd been holding onto the floor, yelled at Red to stop asking her about him and sent him to his room. Red had retreated in shock and as he did so, he'd heard his mother crying. That was the last time he'd ever enquired. He'd already chalked it up in his heart – His father wasn't in his life, he would never be and if the mere mention of him upset his mother, then he wasn't someone he worth knowing.

Red made his way downstairs where his mother was making breakfast. Her chestnut colored hair, mid-back length, was held in a neat but slack ponytail at the base of her neck. She turned and greeted him. One would often look at Red's mother and find her quite attractive. She had dark blue eyes that were framed by long dark lashes which made her eyes seem almost half lidded. As a result, she had permanent bedroom eyes that put the sexiest pinup models to shame. Those beautiful eyes were crowned by her impeccable eyebrows; his mother had no need for plucking or waxing much to the mild envy of other women in the town. Though her lips were thin, they were shapely and parted neatly whenever she smiled, revealing two rows of white teeth. Her figure was nothing to sneeze at either. Numerous times when Red accompanied his mother to the store, men would be especially helpful and the hostility from surrounding females was almost palpable. Catcalls and whistles usually heralded his mother's approach. He was too young to understand what they meant back then, ( _"What are they doing, Mom?" "Just being silly, dear. When you get older, don't ever be like them, alright?"_ ) but as he grew, so did his wisdom; he found it both flattering and annoying that his mother was street harassed on occasion.

Red said a rushed "Good morning" and grabbed up one of the sandwiches his mother just made. He stuffed it into his mouth and gulped down some orange juice straight from the box, promptly earning him a scolding about table manners. He hastily apologized, and rambled that he was late and had to go, slamming the front door in his exit. He walked briskly in the direction of Professor Oak's lab reaching his destination in about twenty minutes. As he entered the lab, he looked around. Professor Oak's lab assistants and interns barely paid him any mind; they were used to him hanging out around the lab in his spare time since Professor Oak's grandson was also his friend. Acquaintance. Something. He really didn't know how to describe his relationship with Green simply because Green was extremely fickle in his interactions towards him. Friendly on one day, hostile on the next and in not so rare instances, the two extremes made appearances within the same day. There was never an in between; Green was a walking paradox. If Red was really unfortunate, he'd encounter him when whittling Red's self-esteem was high on that day's agenda. Red was often amazed (and very irritated) at the lengths Green went to make him feel like shit; it was like it was Green's hobby to consistently and constantly point out how superior he was to Red in every way. The sole reason Red put up with the jerk was the fact that, besides Green, there were no other people his age in the small town. Red made his way to the back of the lab to find said jerk standing next to a table with three pokeballs on it. Red began to wonder about the pokeballs when Green decided to get into his routine of being obnoxious.

"What? It's only Red". He made no effort to hide his disappointment and if one squinted, they could see he was even exaggerating it a little. "Gramps isn't here". Red could feel himself seething. He looked him square in the face.

"I noticed. Thanks". Red deadpanned, spun on his heel and left. _Stupid Green_ , he thought bitterly. He'd walked away so swiftly from the lab that when he encountered the tall grass that marked the end of the town, he was startled. He briefly contemplated walking further into it in an effort to clear his head when a frantic male voice pierced through the silence of the air.

"Wait! Don't go!" Red turned around to see Professor Oak bent over with his hands on his knees panting heavily. "Don't go into the bushes, Red" he resumed his warning after catching his breath slightly. "It's dangerous. Come with me." He beckoned Red to follow him and Red obediently did so.

They met a very bored Green sitting on the edge of the table dangling his legs off the edge and swinging them to and fro. Professor Oak frowned and he immediately jumped down from his perch. Red stood next to Green and Professor Oak addressed them both.

"I have a favour to ask of you both," he said. Red's curiosity was piqued. Professor Oak was usually easy-going and it was very rare to have him use such a serious and professional tone. Green, however, seemed oblivious to his grandfather's attitude. The professor turned and headed to a small table behind him. On it laid two red, rectangular devices, with a flashing blue light at the top left hand corner of it. He handed one to Red, paused a bit as if thinking and then reluctantly handed the other to Green. Green cocked an eyebrow at his grandfather's peculiar behavior but said nothing. Red glued his eyes to the red device in his hand, scrutinizing it.

"These are called Pokedex. They are devices that store virtual information on every pokemon its holder encounters and captures. As you know, my profession is based solely on the study of pokemon and by extension, the interaction between humans and pokemon, so it's vital for me to have information on various if not most species. It has always been a lifelong dream of mine to gather data on all existing pokemon. But I can't accomplish that on my own now, I'm too old." Professor Oak's eyes shone a little as he spoke and his voice was an odd mixture of passion and despair. He fixed gaze on Red as he spoke. "That's why I'm recruiting you two to help me with my goal." Red shifted uncomfortably under professor Oak's stare. Although Green was standing right next to him, Red felt as though professor Oak was entrusting the task to him. Professor Oak then walked over to the table containing the pokeballs and gestured to them with his hand.

"Now, within these pokeballs are pokemon you can use to help you with your journey. Make your choice carefully, Red. The pokemon you choose will be yours." Red's heart thumped with excitement. He'd never given thought about leaving the confines of his town; he'd never had the need. Anything he required was provided to him via delivery. He had no relatives abroad, at least none that he knew of. Curiosity about the outside world clouded his mind and the prospect of new opportunities sent a wave of eagerness over him. Green would no longer be his only friend. He'd be interacting and capturing new pokemon. He would finally get to see what was beyond the bushes that framed Pallet Town. Green's annoyed voice snapped him out of his daydream.

"Hey Gramps! What about me?" Green complained, pivoting his head between the elderly man and his neighbor. Professor Oak chuckled.

"Yes, Green. You get to choose one too, obviously." Red walked over to the table and touched the pokeball to the furthest left. He picked it up and examined it.

"Ahh. That's a Charmander, very beautiful creatures. I had one back in the day when I was a hotshot trainer. It's a fire type." Red turned and looked at the professor whose face looked overwhelmed with nostalgia. He looked back at the pokeball.

"Well, Red? Will you take Charmander, the fire type?" Red nodded eagerly. "Then it's settled. Congratulations on your new pokemon, Red!" Professor Oak gave him a friendly pat on the back. Green narrowed his eyes at Red and then turned his attention to the two remaining pokeballs on the table.

"I choose this one, then!" Green exclaimed. Professor Oak looked at his grandson and smiled.

"That's a Squirtle. They are a very durable species, extremely tough. It's a water type." Green looked smug as he turned to look at Red.

"Mine looks tougher than yours," he gloated. Red ignored him. Professor Oak cleared his throat.

"Alright, you two. Off you go. Make sure to maintain contact via emails and video calls." Green nodded, looked at Red and then back to his grandfather.

"You can leave everything to me, Grandpa!" He boasted. As he walked past Red, he placed a hand on his shoulder and his features contorted into mock sympathy.

"I'm sorry to tell you this Red," Green said in a fake apologetic tone, "but you just won't be needed for this task." Red stared blankly ahead of him, successfully summoning all of his willpower not to slug his neighbor in the face and said nothing. Green trotted out the lab, presumably on his way to begin his quest. Professor Oak smiled at Red.

"You should get going too, Red." He urged politely. Red smiled, thanked him and left the lab.

His farewell to his mother was not as difficult as he thought it would be. In fact, she was far more understanding than he anticipated, even encouraging and while he was suspicious, he was also very grateful. He had gone through many mental plans as to how he'd convince his mother to let him go and none were satisfactory. With a kiss on her cheek and promises to keep in touch, Red set off on his journey.


	2. Manhood

_That was three years ago._

Red swirled his drink with his finger and looked lazily out the window. The bar stunk of cigarettes and weed. He turned his attention back to his glass, and then downed its contents in a single gulp. The cold liquid burned as it made its way to his stomach and settled. He cleared his throat and coughed a little. He wasn't sure what he was doing there. Actually, no. He did know why he was there. It was because he let Green get to him. Green had actually taunted him about a topic he was extremely sensitive about. So he'd come to the bar to try to force himself to forget his insecurity regarding the issue and prove Green wrong. He wasn't even a drinker; he'd choked down the first two glasses and had to coerce his gag reflex not to betray him during the third. And while the alcohol made his mind a bit hazy and induced a warm pleasant feeling throughout his body, it did nothing to make him forget the matter at hand. In fact, if anything, it amplified his shame surrounding it. Red went over the conversation he'd had with Green earlier that week bitterly.

 _Flashback_

"Dammit!" Green yelled in frustration as his Wartortle gave a strangled cry and lay on its back, knocked out. He gritted his teeth and returned his pokemon, regarding Red with suspicion. Red returned his oddish and looked at Green, expressionless. Green narrowed his eyes and closed the gap between himself and his neighbor.

"Since when have you ever been better than me at anything?" Red remained stone-faced at the remark but inside he was high-fiving himself. Green looked him over skeptically.

"Well, this was only a fluke anyways," Green shrugged. "I'm not at my best today. Kind of tired really. Since I earned four badges already and all." His cocky grin spread across his face. He draped his arm around Red's shoulders and Red tensed a little. Green had never been this affectionate with him even on his best day. The contact felt strange but not unpleasant and Red found himself lowering his emotional walls a little. He always had to keep his guard up when dealing with Green; ever since he knew him, Green would say the most cruel things to him. As he grew older, Red began to suspect that Green wasn't aware of the impact his harsh words had on others. Green would insult him in the worst way and then interact with him the next day as though nothing had happened; like a reset button of some sort had been pushed. The trait waned as they got older due to, Red assumed, maturity but Red remained wary. Green's yo-yo attitude had confused him greatly at one point; he'd then decided to resolve the issue by ignoring Green when he was being a dick. Now the unbalanced scale of emotion called Green had his arm around his shoulders and he didn't know what to make of it.

"Let's go to the Pokemart." Green urged. "We'll grab something to eat there." Red agreed and the two headed to the Pokemart. After a few minutes of picking out food, they made their way to the counter. Green laid down three hamburgers and a large soda on the counter and began searching his back pockets for his money. Red found his movements as he fumbled for his wallet oddly fascinating. Green had rather long fingers and the motion of his hands as they perused his backside accentuated their length and gracefulness. He was interrupted from his slight awe when a soft female voice spoke up at the side of him.

"Wow! All of that for you?" Red instinctively turned to the owner's voice. The rather pretty brunette had her brown eyes locked on Green. She had a generous bust that threatened to win the fight against her tight white shirt and her dangerously short blue skirt flattered her long legs that were adorned with loose white leg warmers. Green gave her a not so subtle vertical scan.

"Yes, Ma'am!" Green grinned. "I need all the nutrition I can get?"

"Oh?" She placed her hands behind her back. "And why is that?" Red noticed that she'd leaned in a little closer to Green.

"Because I'm a Pokémon Trainer." Green beamed and proudly opened his badge case to show her its contents. Red sidestepped around them, placed his items on the counter, paid for them and made his exit. He stood outside the Pokemart for about 5 minutes before Green emerged with the young lady. With flushed cheeks, she waved goodbye and headed on her way. Green returned the wave and nudged Red's side with his elbow.

"Cute, eh?" he grinned and pulled out a piece of paper out of his pocket, waving it in Red's face. "Check it out. I got her number. One of many, of course." He smirked. Red forced a smile. He didn't like where the conversation was heading and mentally crossed his fingers that Green would bring up something else to brag about.

"What about you?" No such luck. Red almost cringed at the question. Green didn't seem to be teasing, and for that Red was grateful. He still pretended not to hear the question, though.

"Huh?" Red asked. The "Huh" tactic usually did work when it came to Green; he was an impatient sort that disliked repeating himself. The response "huh" also gave the impression of being spaced out, another one of Green's pet peeves. A person who was spaced out while the great Green was talking wasn't worth speaking to so at best he'd give an annoyed "Never mind" or shake his head with scorn and walk off, at worst.

"What about you? Do you get any girls?" _It wasn't very effective_. Red felt his shoulders slump against his will. To Red's chagrin, Green noticed. An uncomfortable silence made its debut and Red shifted uneasily. He instinctively braced himself for biting words, relentless teasing and mocking laughter. To his surprise, there was none. Red gave a cautious glance at Green and saw he was looking at him intently.

"You don't, do you?" He concluded. Red remained silent for a bit then spoke.

"I'm concentrating on battling, so I don't really concern myself with that sort of thing." Red said somewhat defensively. Green continued to study him and Red avoided his gaze. He'd really wanted to steer clear of the topic because he knew he was different. Red had a general apathy towards women. Very rarely they would arouse interest. Of course, he knew an attractive female when he saw one but they just didn't induce the wolf-whistling, uncontrollable drooling reaction that was characteristic for men his age. He acknowledged that he was utterly picky when it came to the opposite sex. So to avoid the annoying question "What is wrong with you, man?" he tended to circumvent the issue altogether.

"What is wrong with you, man?" Green enquired with a cock of his eyebrow. Red performed a mental facepalm and sighed inwardly.

"Nothing, Green. It's just not on my agenda right now."

"But that doesn't mean you can't have fun sometimes! All work and no play make dull Red even duller." Red rolled his eyes. He really didn't want to go through this but Green persisted.

"Is it because you can't get a girl?" Red looked at him. Green was being totally serious. His concern both confused and embarrassed him. Green placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and Red winced.

"I can hook you up, man. I know a lot of chicks." _That's it_. Humiliation and discomfort was one thing but being pitied was something Red would not tolerate under any circumstances. Before he could filter his words, he blurted out,

"I can hook up whenever I want!" and immediately regretted what he had uttered; it was the same as proposing a challenge to Green. Green's concerned expression transformed into one of mild amusement and he huffed. _Here it comes_.

"Fine, then. You know my number. At the end of this week, you should no longer be a boy, but a man." _Here we go_. Red made a feeble attempt to back out of the bet he was coerced into.

"What happens if I don't want to go along with your stupid game? I'm kinda busy, you know. Filling out the Pokedex and all that." Green turned serious.

"I will lose the shred of respect I have for you, Red. I didn't think you were this pathetic. I thought that you would've been getting some action. Less than me, but still." Green shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away, slightly flustered. "You're a decent looking guy so this revelation…I'm surprised, is all." Red regarded Green in disbelief. Green had respect for him? It was miniscule but still. When had Green ever had any respect for anyone other than his grandfather? His candid confession caused a bit of pride to bubble in his chest. Green didn't see him as pathetic as Red thought that he did. This new knowledge made him feel kind of happy and he didn't quite know why. Suddenly not rising up to Green's challenge seemed unacceptable; he wanted Green's approval. He feigned exasperation and sighed.

"Fine, whatever." Red took his leave, heading for the nearest Inn. He kicked himself for once again getting sucked into one of Green's whims.

* * *

Three days since their meeting and Red could not push his uneasiness out of his mind. During the day, he fumbled to find his meticulously organized items on his person. Training spiked in difficulty, he would often mess up commands; sometimes even calling moves that his pokemon were incapable of. Red knew he was in trouble when his Charmeleon gave him a sideways, rather annoyed glance the moment he commanded it to use Bubble at a target. Pokemon battles were no better. Any strategic maneuvers he'd mentally rehearsed countless times fled his mind the moment he tossed the pokeball into the air. He'd lost $3000 in trainer battles and vowed that he would not participate anymore until he had sorted himself out. Not only was the confident jeering from his opponent debasing, his pokemon often suffered because of his temporary incompetence. The guilt of the harm he invited to them due to his lack of focus weighed heavily on his conscience and he cursed himself for being so weak. His frustration overwhelmed and confused him. Since when was a thumbs up from the obnoxious next door neighbor so imperative? Red would've have laughed if his emotions didn't frazzle his conscious decisions and consistently rob him of sleep. Disturbingly, Red chose to disregard the epiphany that made its appearance while having breakfast at the Inn that morning. He could do one of two things: Ignore the bet and move on with his life (It wasn't as though he'd given his word to take the "Rite of Manhood", anyway) or lie about having a steamy romp in the sheets with a perky A-cupped redhead and end the whole thing right there (Green didn't know what type of woman appealed to him, so the fib would be easy to pull off. Hell, **he** didn't even know).

The first option would be seen as an obvious cop out. Even though Green and Red's friendship had a rather strange dynamic, there was an unspoken agreement; they were rivals. Always competing, always trying to be better than or at the very least equal to the other. Anytime a challenge presented itself, they understood that they had some sort of duty to try to best the other at it. Simply ignoring his blatant dare was dishonorable and therefore, out of the question. The second option would be to lie which was arguably even worse. Green and Red basically had the same goal so they were bound to meet up again eventually. Red was a horrible liar and had an inclination to speak the truth. He often found himself butting heads with others because of his brutal honesty. Green knew him all his life and thus knew all of his awkward mannerisms when he attempted to be dishonest ("You could never be my partner in crime, Red. You're hopeless!"). Also, lying about success in a conquest was not only pitiful but would bring ignominy upon his reputation, at least when it came to Green. His pride wouldn't allow either of the two options and Red felt like kicking himself. He glanced at his wrist watch. 8:27 pm. He deliberated a bit and decided to go out. After taking a shower, he put on a pair of jeans, his sneakers and a burgundy shirt. Over the shirt, he wore a black jacket. He slapped some cologne on his neck, put on his hat and took a good look at himself in the mirror. With a slight blush, he realized that Green was right; he wasn't a bad looking guy. After studying his attire a bit, he decided to omit the hat since it didn't suit the style. With one last glimpse into the mirror and a deep breath he set off to make well on Green's challenge.

* * *

 _Present day_

Red sighed and looked around the bar again. As expected, there weren't any women that held his attention. There were some cute ones scattered here and there, but none that he felt like sleeping with. He swirled his fourth glass with his finger, concentrating on the ripples at the surface of his drink.

"That looks like fun. Mind if I join?" Red whipped his head to the questioner and came face to face with cleavage. She was leaning on the table, resting on both of her hands. Whether the action was intentional or not, it was certainly welcome. He trailed his gaze to the woman's face. She was a ginger, her orange locks cascaded a little past her slightly freckled shoulders. Her turquoise eyes, embellished by her long lashes, twinkled with curiosity and a hint of mischief. Her lips were cotton candy pink, glossy and inviting. She wore a yellow off the shoulder, long sleeved crop tops that graced her flat, toned stomach. Her navel ring, glinted in the dim light, its jewel snugly embedded in her belly button. Her short jeans pants hugged her hips and Red noticed she had a tattoo of a Psyduck on her upper left thigh as she took a seat opposite to him. Red smiled as he recognized her face; Cerulean City gym leader Kasumi a.k.a Misty. She clasped her hands on the table.

"I'd think after you won one of my badges you'd look happier. I'm not the easiest gym leader, you know." Red forced a chuckle. His stomach was doing flip-flops by the second; he didn't know the first thing about flirting.

"I was just in lost in thought," he said softly. Misty raised a copper eyebrow.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?"

"Nothing." His forehead almost stung with the force of his mental facepalm. Misty gave him a skeptical look. _Great. Now she thinks I'm odd_. He was relieved when she gave a soft laugh.

"You're rather private aren't you?"

"A little."

"Huh." Misty suddenly raised her hand into the air and a waiter hurriedly made his way to their table. "I'd like a shot of Tequila, please." Red decided it would be best if he stayed slightly buzzed; potvaliency would definitely come in handy. Misty looked pleased.

"So you're a drinker?" She enquired, gulping the shot down. Red shrugged.

"I try." Red thanked his Dutch courage for his smooth answer. She smiled at him.

After a couple of drinks, a familiar warm, heavy but pleasant feeling coursed through his body. Misty's lips moved and it sounded like a string of incoherent sounds. _Shit. I overdid it._

"What?" He asked, somewhat annoyed. She frowned.

"I said let's go somewhere quiet." He nodded and they both got up, Red leaving some money to cover the bill. On the way out, he hurriedly stepped in front of Misty and held the door open for her. His chivalry was rewarded with a strange glance and a chuckle but instead of feeling self-conscious, in his slightly inebriated state, he got annoyed. _So I see you're one of those chicks that prefer guys who treat you like shit._ His harsh thoughts towards the redhead surprised him somewhat; being mean was a novel concept but he was too intoxicated to care. His eyes lowered to her backside and her swinging gait as she made her way to the street. She turned to him suddenly and he stopped in his tracks. Red could tell from her slightly knit eyebrows that she'd caught his lewd gaze. He smiled at her. She returned his smile and leaned in a little.

"So where are we going now?" She asked. Red shrugged playfully.

"I don't know. I came outside because you wanted to be somewhere quiet." She laughed and shoved him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him sharply, causing her to off balance and fall into his chest. With a swift motion, he placed his hand on the small of her back and with the other, he cupped her chin, tilted it upwards and planted his lips against hers. She squeaked a little in protest but didn't pull away. Red's heart thundered with pride and excitement. _Suck on that, Green!_ Her lips were warm, soft and very moist; Red had a little difficulty getting some traction for the impromptu kiss. _Girls and their obsession with lip gloss._ The slippery texture wasn't off putting; it added to the feeling in fact and Red released her chin and trailed his hand above the other that had her lower back hostage. She draped her arms around his neck and sighed a little, pressing herself into him. The sensation of her soft breasts flattening against his ribcage threatened to overwhelm and his hand roamed to her ass where he gave it gentle but firm squeeze. She pulled away suddenly and placed her hand over her month avoiding his gaze. _Nice job, idiot. You ruined the mood._ Before he could berate himself further, he noticed the pink tinge that was spreading across her face. _So Cerulean's tough tomboy gym leader can actually feel self-conscious. Cute._ He pulled her close to him, leaned down and spoke softly into her ear.

"Let's go somewhere even quieter." Her face was buried in the crook of his neck but she answered in the affirmative; he felt her nod. After a ten minute walk in near silence and holding hands they reached the inn. He handed her the keys to his room and she gave him a puzzled look.

"I need to pick up something at the mart. I'll be back." She nodded. Although Red was new to the sleeping around scene, he knew of its consequences. He was never a fan of having his own kids. After a 5 minute walk, he made it to the Pokemart and started searching through the aisles frantically.

"Good evening. May I help you?" An elderly voice quivered politely behind him. He turned around. _Oh fuck_. An old woman smiled at him, waiting for his reply. _You can't be serious_.

"I…um…I was just looking." Her face twisted into a smile, wrinkles adorning her cheeks and the corners of her eyes; the laugh lines carved into her face were as deep as the embarrassment growing within Red's chest.

"Seems as though you were looking for something specific," the old lady pried. Red felt his face heat up. Granny dearest held her gaze and her eyes twinkled. Red swallowed.

"I was looking for Ramen noodles!" Red blurted out. Her smiled faded but senior citizen's eyes still twinkled. She reached a hand out beside Red's right shoulder. Red's eyes widened when he saw the object in her hand. A cup of Ramen noodles.

"You mean this, sonny?" She looked at him intently, her smile returning. She placed it in his hands and tottered to the cashier counter. Behind the cashier counter. Smiling at him. Red swallowed, picked up two more packs of Ramen (shrimp flavored) and slowly made his way to the counter, careful not to make any eye contact. He placed his items on the counter and dug into his pockets for money. He heard the old woman's voice in his right ear.

"Is there anything else you need?" She asked softly. "Any items behind me, perhaps?" Red's pores rose. The woman was leaning over the counter, speaking into his ear. He involuntarily looked past her and saw what he was looking for. Condoms. He had to ask the aged weirdo for condoms. A thought hit him. She knew. Hence the reason for her behavior. _This wrinkly bitch_. Red absolutely hated being toyed with; he preferred straightforwardness.

"Which one would you like, sweetheart?" Red resisted the urge to curse. Before he could glare, she turned around, grabbed a few, laid them across the counter and pointed to one.

"This one has an assortment of fruit flavours like strawberry, banana, etc." _This isn't happening_. He took a step away from her and looked around. The few customers in the store were now looking in their direction. Grandma was now pointing at another packet.

"This one heats up. And this one tastes sweet."

"Oh my gosh! Look at his face!" A hushed voice choked out followed by uncontrollable giggles. The customers now had their eyes locked on him, snickering in amusement. _This. Is. Not. Happening._ Sweet Grandma, however, was oblivious to the attention she was calling to herself and by extension Red; she seemed to be proud of her knowledge of contraceptives. She pointed to yet another pack.

"This one is extra durable for those rough nights! You look quite energetic so maybe-" Red slammed his money on the table, picked up a pack of condoms (he didn't see which) and bolted out the door, leaving the old crone with her mouth agape in shock.

"Sonnny, wait! You forgot your change!" He heard her call after him.

"Keep it!" He yelled over his shoulder.

* * *

Red took a deep breath and entered his room. Misty was lying on his be in a white lacy bra and a matching thong. He swallowed and surveyed her body. Subtle muscles embellished her back, her thighs and calves were toned and firm. His gaze stopped on her rear. She didn't have a plump butt nor was it flat but it was round, well-shaped. A nice butt. Though Red was impressed with her body, he wasn't surprised; it was well known that Misty held athleticism in high esteem. To see her jogging on mornings and doing open water swimming while training her pokemon was a common sight. As he continued to admire her ass, he noticed with beguilement that she had another tattoo, a Tentacruel, on her lower back. _This chick really likes water types_. Red chuckled. She turned over on her back and looked at him, her navel ring, wedged snugly in her flat stomach, glinted in the light as though it was inviting him.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing. You look nice." _Real smooth, loser_. She smiled.

"Really? Come over here and tell me how nice I look." He made his way over to the bed and kneeled on it. Misty got on her knees, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him in for a needy kiss. _Hmm._ _She's aggressive_. Red pushed his tongue past her lips, and she complied, moaning as she did so, her tongue wrapping around his; she tasted of the tequila shots they'd had earlier, coupled with the faint sourness of lime. His hands travelled to her ass and gave it a good squeeze. She gasped, and planted her lips against his neck; her hands grasped the hem of his shirt and gave it an upward yank. Red obeyed the tug and raised his arms, allowing it to slide over his head. He reached and captured Misty's lips again into another hot kiss, reaching behind her to unhook her bra. Try to unhook her bra. As he fumbled with the offensive article of clothing, he felt her laugh softly into his mouth then undid the bra herself.

"Thanks," he mumbled against her lips. Another soft chuckle. His hands wasted no time in reaching in front to fondle her breasts. They were soft yet firm, a little less than a handful. He looked at them as he squeezed, observing how the warm flesh molded between his fingers. He cupped them and jiggled them a bit, earning a soft laugh. He pressed his lips against her right breast in a chaste kiss then parted his mouth sucking against the soft skin, resulting in a gasp, a whimper, a fistful of his brown hair being grabbed and gently yanked, a hiss. He ceased his suction and admired his mark on her; a blemish, in bright red relief, his symbol of ownership. He pushed her gently on her back; she relieved herself of her thong as he did so. _She doesn't waste time_. He undid his pants, taking out the box of condoms and tearing it open with his teeth. While he opened the packet, Misty reached for the remnants of the box thrown haphazardly on the bed.

"Retardant?" She questioned. He looked at her and shrugged. He didn't even know what that meant. Like hell if he cared; he'd just grabbed one of the boxes off the counter because the damn old crone had been humiliating him; it could've been Miltank flavoured and he'd still be nonchalant. Once it prevented children and urinating lava, anything was fine with him. Misty got on her hands and knees and pulled down his pants. He turned around and sat on the bed briefly, peeling his pants and underwear off then resumed his kneeling position. He almost fell backwards from pleasure when Misty took him into her mouth. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt; he'd delivered himself from pent up horniness many times before, it was only natural he'd touch himself. This was on a totally different level. The moisture and heat combination was almost too much to handle and he struggled to keep himself under control. He closed his eyes briefly and moaned then turned his attention back to Misty, her redhead bobbing back and forth along his shaft, making wet obscene noises as she worked. His head was swimming now and he struggled to maintain his bearings; Misty oblivious to his plight, kept slurping away. He took a hand and gently pushed her on her shoulder, her cue to stop. She released him, looked up and smiled mischievously. _This woman will be the death of me_. She took the condom from his hand (he hadn't realized he was still holding it), and placed it over her mouth. Holding his erection, she put her mouth onto his weeping tip, bringing her lips towards his base, the condom smoothly unfurling. With a soft pop, she removed her mouth, rolling the rest of the condom down. She then lay down and spread her legs. Red thanked Arceus for alcohol; by now he would've been freaking out.

Red crawled to her, pulled her to him by her thighs and inserted himself. Another wave of pleasure overcame him. He propped himself on his hands, his torso hovering over Misty. She blushed a little and moved her hips, grasping his forearms. He'd been worried for nothing; the act came natural to him, and soon his hesitant thrusting quickened in tandem with the volume of her moans. The sharp increase in arousal made him get a little rough with her; his hands dug into her thighs as he jammed his hips into her pelvis, the sound of sweat soaked skin slapping together filled the air. She started gasping, then screaming. Red slowed down a bit, and his heart rate escalated in panic. He looked at her; her eyes, the color of the city's namesake from which she hailed, were shut tight. Her face glistened in the dim light of the room and her red hair framed it, matted against her forehead and spilled onto the pillow like a fiery halo. Panting heavily, her mouth formed words, but she was so out of breath they were soundless. Red leaned into her a bit.

"What?" He asked. She responded by bucking her hips. _Oh. She was enjoying it_. Red reassumed his position and gleefully hammered away at the beauty underneath him, her shrill cries punctuating each of his enthusiastic pelvic thrusts. He winced and mouthed "Ow" when she buried her nails into his back, scraping its surface and possibly tearing away some of his skin. With a loud shout, Misty's back arched and her body tensed, her legs clamping shut around Red, effectively pinning him between them. Her eventual relaxation signaled the end of her climax; Red followed soon after with a strangled grunt and a few lazy jerks of his hips. He rolled to the side, out of breath. Misty giggled, gave him a chaste peck on the lips and snuggled into his side, draping her arm over his midsection. Red felt her breathing slow to an even pace; she'd fallen asleep. He fixed his eyes to the ceiling and smiled, feeling his ego boost. He soon came to the realization that his proposed lie had come true; he'd had a hot romp with a perky A-cupped redhead. Red chuckled to himself and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Red opened his eyes slowly and regarded the ceiling, gradually becoming aware of his surroundings. Although he was an early riser (usually), it took him a couple minutes to fully become awake. He soon discovered that his lady for the night had disappeared, leaving the lingering scent of perfume on the sheets. He felt extremely pleased with himself. Red got up, showered and dressed. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and, to him, it seemed as though he'd grown a few centimeters taller.


	3. Erase

The next few days were spent picking fights and abusing his Vs Seeker. Red found the irony hilarious; before he'd loathed the unspoken code of conduct between pokemon trainers: locking eyes with another trainer meant being subjected to a pokemon battle (granted, he was weaker and inexperienced back then). He'd purposefully walk with his head down or avoid going into areas where trainers were frequently found, opting to fight wild pokemon in their territory instead. Now he realized that trainers would avoid his gaze or ignore him altogether. And with good reason; the Pokemon Center was nowhere nearby. It was much easier to avoid battling in the first place. Still, trainers registered under the Vs Seeker were obligated by law to participate in battles as long as they were fit to do so. Also, a "fine" (a minimum of $300.00) would have to be given to the winner of the battle. So when Red locked eyes with a raven haired girl, he could hardly stifle his laughter at her loud, exasperated sigh and rather impressive eye roll. Clad in a white fitted shirt with a green bow around the collar, a green and black plaid skirt reaching her mid thighs, black stockings and ballet flats, she looked like one of the stuck up snobs he often saw hanging out around town, the ones that only associated with their own "kind". Red recognized the insignia on her shirt pocket; Articuno Private. It was one of those prestigious schools you only heard of, never saw. She pulled her shoulder length black hair into a ponytail, folded her arms and tilted her chin up at Red indignantly, narrowing her blue eyes at him. Red looked at her, slightly amused but expectant.

"You know, I'm not really in the position to have a battle. I'm not in the mood either". Red's mirth dissipated and he scowled internally. This chick had an attitude. Red pulled out a Pokeball, pushed its button and felt the device expand in his hand.

"That's not my concern. This is what comes with registration into the VS. Seeker." He looked at said device. It flashed its blue light excitedly as if to corroborate his point. "It says you're quite fit to battle." She huffed as she planted one hand on her hip and flung the other up and outwards, letting it drop to her thigh with an audible slap.

"I just came out here to relax! I have exams and…" Red's thrown pokeball interrupted her irritated response and his charmander materialized from a large ball of red light, roaring and raring for a fight. Upon its freedom from the confines of its spherical cage, it tilted its head upwards and sent a jet of fire into the sky, the heat emanating from its showy entrance almost unbearable. Although Red was extremely impressed and proud at his starter's power and eagerness to battle, he was relieved when the display of bravado came to an end. Red noted that his charmander was a bit on the aggressive side; it was often hard at the beginning to stop it from attacking after the battle had ceased due to either his command or the challenging pokemon fainting. At first, this worried him to the point of considering trading it to another trainer, but then he began to channel its aggression into more precise attacks and combination techniques. As a result, his charmander had an array of dexterous manoeuvres that gained both it and its trainer admiration and praise. The wight also began to mellow out and Red theorized that this was the result of the amount of energy expended to execute its personalized battle moves (he was adamant about daily training for the overly energetic creature). He had every right to be utterly grateful for this transformation. A pokemon's death at the hands of another trainer was rewarded a hefty compensation fine plus the offending trainer's license being revoked for a minimum of four years, more if the death was found to be intentional. In addition, the pokemon of the offending trainer would be confiscated, doomed to be the property of the government for unknown purposes henceforth.

The young lady chewed her bottom lip, clearly annoyed. Red was becoming agitated himself. This was the procedure to all VS. Seeker holders. If you didn't want to battle others mandatorily, head to the nearest Pokemon Center and unregister. It was that simple. While Red was irritated, he knew he couldn't force her into battling. He took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. He noticed that her expression softened somewhat as she regarded him. Red frowned.

"What?" he almost snapped but he managed to reign himself. His charmander mimicked his impatience making restless, meaningless movements a little distance away at his feet. This spoilt brat was getting on his nerves. Not only would he have to look for another trainer to spar with in order to gain experience, but the girl exhibited a demeanour that was very similar to his…"friend". She walked towards him tentatively, neatly sidestepping away from Red's very annoyed charmander and picking up her pace when she passed the disgruntled beast. Its head trailed her motions, never ceasing to glare at the person denying it a well anticipated fight. She then faced its trainer who mirrored its expression, and leaned forward a bit causing Red to recoil a little.

"You know, I was serious about me not wanting to battle anyone today because of exam stress." Her voice was less hostile now.

"The rules state-" Red began angrily.

"I know what the rules say," she interjected smoothly. "But are you gonna go by the book all the time?" She undid her ponytail and tossed her dark hair back, giving Red a smug look as she did so. She folded her arms and scrutinized him haughtily, sizing him up. "That's so boring." She taunted. Red felt his solar plexus bubble heat at the base of his lungs. _This. Bitch_. He inhaled sharply.

"Look if you don't wan-"

"I know you're serious about gaining experience." She interrupted his dismissal of her and continued. "You've been on this stretch four times this morning already." This statement diffused his annoyance and embarrassment blossomed in its stead. He blushed. He hadn't noticed some people were paying attention to him. He must have looked like a raving madman, stalking up and down the same road for most of the morning. He was jolted out of his self-conscious mental chatter when she startled him slightly by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll tell you what." She said softly as she invaded his personal space further. "You forget this whole owing you a battle because of the VS. Seeker thing and I'll show you a way to gain experience. It's even more fun and rewarding than boring old battling." Red raised an eyebrow. He'd been contemplating leaving her there in favour of spending his time searching for someone else to challenge but he was intrigued. Another way to train a pokemon? What other way was there? Did she mean grooming it for a contest? That was unlikely. She was clearly referring to battling. It sounded impossible. His curiosity was inflamed. He threw his pokeball at his charmander. The beast let out a bark of surprise as the device opened and it was swathed in red light, disappearing within the red and white device's bounds. He turned to her.

"Alright then, fine. How do you gain experience without battling?" He enquired. He tried to give an air of nonchalance but his eagerness seeped through the act. She looked surprised at first then started giggling. Red tilted his head slightly to the side and knit his eyebrows together, confused.

"You…don't really go out much…do you?" she teased. He didn't understand what she meant. She took him by the hand and led him into a nearby forested area, guiding him in its depths until the sunlight dimmed, its rays peeking through the leaf canopy of tall trees; the silence was interrupted sporadically by the soft, curt buzzes of Ladyba. She then looked at Red, stretching and cracking her fingers.

"Alright." She announced, as she approached him. "Let's begin."

* * *

Red learned two things that he was completely unaware of. The first?

He was, apparently, more attractive than he gave himself credit for.

He dug his nails into the rough bark of the tree he was pressed against, hissing slightly from the pain as he felt his nails bend backwards. His eyes rolled back behind fluttering eyelashes and he bit his lip to prevent him from moaning too loud. His face was contorted with effort as he looked down at head full of onyx hair bobbing back and forth at his crotch furiously. His hand found its way to it, digits caressing the dark locks and becoming entangled within them. With a lusty hum, the head's owner took more of him into her mouth, her soft moist lips moving to and fro along his shaft, her tongue guiding his tip further into the moist cavern. His body went up on his toes when he felt the opening of her gullet clamp gently onto the tip of his shaft and he gripped the already abused tree bark beneath his fingers even harder to keep from making sounds that would embarrass him, his teeth embedded into the flesh of his lower lip, his face scrunched up with the sweet, agonising struggle of keeping silent ( _Where the fuck is her gag reflex?! Holy shit!_ ). She released him with a slightly choked gasp, a thin long string of saliva connecting her mouth with his throbbing head. He looked down at her to see her smiling deviously up at him, continuing to stimulate him with her hand. He was panting.

"Enjoying yourself?" She asked seductively. Red nodded hastily.

"Yes, very much, uh…um" Red stammered. _Wait a minute. What's this chick's name?_ She laughed.

"Giselle. My name's Giselle." She supplied as if reading his mind. Red let out a terse bray of laughter that betrayed his amusement and nervousness at the whole scenario.

"Red's mine." He reciprocated her self-introduction. She slowed down her handjob gradually and then stopped altogether, looking to her left thoughtfully.

"Red, huh." She mused quietly. Red was about to enquire about the significance of his name to her when she resumed her lewd ministrations. She leered up at him and smirked.

"Nice to meet you, Red!" She chirped. He moaned loudly when the warm, moist recesses of her mouth found its way back over his love muscle. His fingers re-fused with their imprints on the tree bark, eyes baring their sclerae and teeth re-joining into their mold on his bottom lip left prior during the first bout of the tumultuous, blissful session. He gripped harder when he felt his tip push past the soft palate of her mouth and gave a sharp gasp of pleasure when it tensed and relaxed around his head. His mouth remained open as he looked down at her and saw to his amazement that she'd actually managed to swallow all of him. He felt himself twitch when she gently cupped his balls and let out a moan when she stretched out her tongue, touching its tip them. She released then swallowed him again, her movements becoming more rapid as she caressed his thighs, squeezing them at intervals. Her extraction from his member was announced with a soft 'pop'; when Red opened his eyes (he hadn't noticed when he'd closed them) and looked down at her, she was sitting in casual seiza, studying him with a mischievous smile.

Women were not as prudish as they were made out to be. That was the second thing Red learned.

She stood up and peeled her underwear to her ankles, stepping out of them gracefully. Eye contact was made and Red understood.

* * *

He was beaming down at his pokedex, positively pleased at the progress he'd made. Within the week, his team had levelled up and learned new moves. The battles were a lot shorter; only one team member was required to pulverize his opponents' six. By the time Red reached Vermillion City, his pokemon had learned new moves and had evolved. After stocking up on potions and the like, Red walked leisurely around the City, taking in his surroundings. Though the it was rather small, it's buildings and houses were impressive; each one boasted modernity and environmental consciousness. Red observed that on every construction, a solar panel was perched on its roof and recycle bins punctuated the end of every driveway. The streets were spotless; so much so that Red briefly speculated that they were being scrubbed with soap and water daily. A soft but continuous whirring sound answered his pondering. Red turned to see a minivan, equipped with two spinning circular brushes at its front, cruising leisurely down road. A street sweeper. Red grinned at it, eliciting some curious stares from some people passing by. He couldn't help it. It was the first time he'd seen such a thing. He walked around, carefully drinking in the vicinity. At least he tried to. If he was being honest with himself, he was actually trying to forget what he'd seen in Cerulean City. Flashes of the unpleasant memory plagued his waking hours and it took nearly all of his mental strength to will them away. His stay at Cerulean was bittersweet; he'd gotten laid but he also saw something he'd never forget.

He desperately wanted to.

* * *

To say Cerulean city was beautiful would be an understatement. Wide, proud sidewalks flanked the smooth dirt roads and numerous people, all perched atop expensive looking bikes traversed to and fro. The air was crisp and clean; the numerous trees and foliage tastefully scattered throughout probably had something to do with that. As he'd walked through the streets, he'd noticed that there were a lot of flower shops and confectionery stores sprinkled strategically around the area; each one was within range of the other. He'd found this to be curious but didn't pay any it any mind as he continued placidly past a wooden bridge that arched above a sparkling river. Strolling idly, he'd reached a dead end. A white picket fence framed the edge of the city and beyond it a large expanse of water stretched further than his eyes could see, glittering seductively in the warm sunlight. Red took in the scenery for a few minutes before deciding to leave. As he made his way back to the innermost part of the city, he heard a soft thump. His neck swivelled to the direction of the sound. A small house, named "Sea Cottage" sat to his right. He noted that its door was slightly ajar and was suddenly agog at the prospect of discovering the source of the noise. While his hand was hovering over the doorknob, he felt like he was being stared at and whirled around. Two couples were boring holes into him, staring at him as though he was a shiny of a superlatively rare pokemon. He raised an eyebrow.

"What?" The audacity of the question would've floored him if his burning curiosity hadn't been so blinding; he was the one entering someone's house without permission after all. His mother had often lamented that he could be obnoxiously bold. The couple to his furthest right huddled closer to each other. The woman looked up at her lover, and he, with a nervous glance at her, addressed Red.

"Are you here with someone?" he enquired politely. Red shook his head. The man smiled at him, his lady matching his expression. "It would be ideal if you came here with someone. This is a rather popular dating spot. Cerulean City Gym Leader Misty has high hopes for this place." Through his periphery, he could see the couple standing slightly off to his left observing him with something akin to pity. The amount of flower shops and confectionary stores made perfect sense to him now; this city was apparently one of romance.

"Misty really does regard this place as the perfect dating spot". The man's girlfriend spoke. "You don't experience this spot to the fullest unless you're here with someone special." At these words, the couple locked eyes with each other and the man pulled her closer, brushing her blond hair away from her face as he did so. They blushed. Red fought the urge to roll his eyes. _Misty's a romantic? Huh. Didn't seem so when I was fuc-_

"I won't be here long", Red assured them curtly and entered the house not really caring whether they'd heard his response or not. The place was…a mess to put it simply. The floor could hardly be seen; books of varying thickness were littered across it. A computer filmed with dust beeped serenely from its place on a nearby table; a pair of green pants and a lab coat thrown carelessly over the back a chair that stood in front of the dimly lit screen kept its company. What really stood out were the two towers stationed in the middle of the room. They were so tall they looked as though they were jammed against the ceiling. As Red inspected it further, he saw that they were connected to each other via a few large, thick wires. The towers were wide and tall enough for a person to stand in and a glass door enclosed each of the cylindrical contraptions. Red began to wonder about its purpose when he heard a thump and a groan coming from the recesses of the house. A door was situated further into the back of the room. For a moment, he froze, contemplating on whether he should investigate or not. His inquisitiveness was quicker on the ball, moving his feet toward the door. Another groan, a gasp. He was trespassing. He wasn't minding his own business. Hell, he didn't even know whose house he was in. But as these facts screamed at him to rethink his actions, his hand closed around the doorknob. There was a slapping noise and a hiss. A muffled screech. Red paused a little then opened the door.

A middle aged man with dirty blond hair stood in the middle of the rather small room, his hair messy and clothes dishevelled. There were bloodstains on his lab coat and fresh drops of blood dappled the white tiled floor. His face shone with sweat, crimson in his effort to tame the "woman" he was fighting with. The man had her (it?) on her hands and knees, yanking her head back by her long purple and white hair. He'd managed to hold one hand behind her back causing her arch backwards towards him. She squealed and flailed her free arm in front of her in a futile attempt to get away. Red's brain struggled to identify exactly what the "woman" was. Her body was covered in deep purple fur, glossy and free of tangles as though it was well groomed. She had a furry underside; her breasts, neck and stomach were covered with white fur that continued its pattern past her crotch, adorning her inner thighs and the inside of her lower legs, stopping abruptly at her ankles. Her feet were unusually large, fanned out at bulbous toes (a total of three on either foot), each equipped with its own long, sharp, discoloured nail. A purple tail extended from her coccyx, its white end curled into a neat spiral. Her face was covered in a thin layer of white fur and a pair of whiskers grew out of the right side of it, near the corner of her mouth. In her efforts for freedom, she twisted her head to face Red, her eyes glowed yellow as the light reflected on them and snarled, revealing very long, yellowed, sharp teeth _Oh God she's looking at me! It's looking at me! What is that thing?! Oh God, Oh-_

"What the fuck are you doing in here?!" The man hollered at him. Red acknowledged that he was being yelled at but he couldn't tear his eyes from the wight that hissed threateningly at him.

"I…I…" Red stuttered. Grabbing a fistful of amethyst hair and tugging it roughly, the man stretched across the room and banged the door shut. There were the sounds of scuffling, a glass breaking, loud screeching, an even louder thump. Then silence. Red backed away from the door slowly, tripping over one of the many wires that took residence on the floor and fell unceremoniously on his backside. He hastily got up to prepare to make a beeline for the exit when the door of the room which contents had scared him shitless flew open and the man emerged, slamming it shut behind him. He crossed the room in long angry strides, grabbed Red roughly by the collar with both hands and brought their faces so close together, their noses almost touched. His eyes were bloodshot, and his scent was the potent fusion of stale alcohol and sweat. Red crinkled his nose involuntarily and squirmed when the man spoke.

"How much did you see?" He interrogated. Red stared at him with wide eyes.

"Enough." Was his trembled response. The man loosened his grip and regarded Red warily as Red straightened his T-Shirt. They stared at each other for a few seconds, the thick silence unbearably awkward. The man glared weakly at him.

"There's something called knocking, kid. Maybe you should try it more often." Red reckoned that his face resembled his namesake at this moment. He really was in the wrong. He bit his lip. The man placed one of his hands on his hip and ran the other through his hair. He let out a sigh and dragged his hand from his hair over his forehead and placed it over his mouth. He looked utterly frustrated, nervous even.

"You know what you did is called breaking and entering, right?" He posed the question calmly, but his tone was clearly scolding.

"Your front door was unlocked", Red defended.

"Don't get smart with me, kid."

"Sorry." With arms akimbo, the man stared at the ground for a little while and looked up at Red. He walked over to his computer and picked up the lab coat that was hanging haphazardly off the back of the chair. He quickly scanned its pockets and pulled out a wallet. He then opened a draw in the computer desk and pulled out an envelope. Striding over to Red with both items in his hand, he looked at Red, paused a little, then spoke.

"What's your name, kid?" He asked softly.

"Red", Red answered hesitantly. The man nodded.

"Red, huh? That's a nice name." Red remained silent. He had no idea what to expect from a man who'd gone from volatile to gentle in the span of about two minutes but he was prepping for the worst. It was axiomatic that Red had stumbled across something he was not supposed to see, let alone know about. The man suddenly flipped open his wallet, causing Red to flinch a little, taking out a few hundred dollar bills. He paused, thought a bit, then took out more money, putting the wallet in his pocket. He then held up the envelope and waved it in Red's face. Red watched in rapt attention.

"This is a ticket to the S.S. Anne. As a scientist, researcher, I get these little perks now and then." The S.S. Anne was the best known cruise ship in the world. The founder of Silph Co's great grandfather designed it and its creation was a great part of Vermillion City's history. Only people with enormous political power and some of the social elite had access to its interior. Red took the envelope and scrutinized it. The Silph family's crest sat proudly in the centre of the envelope's seal. He ogled the piece of paper in his hand; it wasn't fake. A heavy hand plopped down on his right shoulder and he looked up at the worn out scientist/researcher in front of him. The man gently pressed the money to Red's chest, looked him in the eyes and nodded. Red took the money hesitantly.

"What day is it today, kid?" He enquired.

"March 8th, 200V" Red replied. The researcher nodded and looked away a bit, mumbling something about things working out. He put his attention back on Red.

"Alright. Today's Tuesday, then. Thursday at 6pm, the S.S. Anne will be having a little party and cruise. You can go in my place. I'm not really one for fancy dos so…uh…yeah." He chuckled uncomfortably. Red continued to stare at him, his face a mixture of fear and suspicion. The man squeezed both of Red's shoulders suddenly, bringing them face to face once more and Red almost forgot his apprehension due to his host's horrible body odor.

"You. Didn't. See. Anything. Understand?" His voice was low but there was venom oozing from his threat and every word seeping through his clenched teeth felt as though it was chipping away at Red's lifespan.

"I understand." Red's voice quivered. With a sharp nod of his head and two gentle slaps on each of his shoulders, the man released him.

"Good. Name's Bill, by the way." He said with a smile. His face then immediately became menacing. "Now get the fuck out of my house."

Red stuffed his bribes into his pockets as he heeded Bill's command, the faint sound of wailing following him from the back of his abode. He closed the entrance and ran-walked away from the house, evoking some curious stares from some lovestruck couples as he hurried away.

* * *

 _What the fuck did I see? What the hell was that thing?_ Red questioned himself as he strolled down the clean streets of Vermillion City. Although he was grateful for the once in a lifetime opportunity to ride in a luxury cruiseship and extra funds to accommodate travelling and other expenses, Red felt that it would never be enough for the mental scarring that took place and he kicked himself for its self-infliction. His fretful musing came to an abrupt halt when his right shoulder collided into something solid and spun him around a full 180 degrees.


End file.
